SMO CONTEMPORARY ART
SMO Contemporary Art (SMO) is an international art platform specialised in showcasing a unique portfolio of modern and contemporary art from Africa and the diaspora to a global audience. Based in Lagos, Nigeria, SMO curates exhibitions and public and private art events of leading and emerging talents for a diverse audience. The platform is dedicated to artists of all generations who are, or have been, instrumental in shaping West Africa’s contemporary art canon and have helped establish a unique narrative of the continent.
CHRISTOPHER SAMUEL IDOWU
Abiodun, You've Got This, 2022, Acrylic, Charcoal, Pastel & Conte Crayon on Canvas, 121.9 × 91.4 cm
Christopher Samuel Idowu (b. 1995) is a visual artist from the coastal town of Badagry, Nigeria. He majored in painting at the Yaba College of Technology, and works in a variety of media that includes conte crayon, charcoal, watercolour, acrylics and oils. His practice revolves around the study of the human form as observed in his immediate environment, and seeks to capture the essence and being within community. His most recent series, Benue Diary, will be unveiled at ART X Lagos 2023.
EJIRO FENEGAL
Just Being Me, 2023, Bonded Stone, 73.7 × 43.2 × 27.9 cm
Ejiro Fenegal (b. 1991, Nigeria), a sculptor from Ughelli, Delta State, graduated in 2019 from the Yaba College of Technology School of Arts, Design and Printing. Fenegal’s subject is the female form, explored in bonded stone, yielding stunning figures with flamboyant traditional hairstyles in representation of inspiring young female leaders. The artist was involved in the production of the Zorya statue at the Lagoon Restaurant in Lagos (2020) and collaborated with Ato Arinze on a commission by the National Security Adviser in Abuja for a sculpture honouring combat soldiers (2022). Her recent group shows include Small and Iconic, 2023.
NELSON MAKAMO
Untitled, 2023, Oil Paint on Belgian Linen Canvas, 200 x 150 cm
Johannesburg-based artist Nelson Makamo is best known for his charcoal and oil paintings that seek to redress decades of stereotyping of African children as destitute. Makamo trained as a master printer at the Artist Proof Studio in Johannesburg, and, over the last couple of decades, has developed a signature style and niche that has gradually solidified his presence on the global stage. He has exhibited work in South Africa, USA, France, Italy, the Netherlands, England and Scotland, and, at ART X Lagos, will be presenting a series of mixed-media portraits that seek to capture the determination and conviction of young Africans today.
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